Remote Sensing Dynamic Monitoring and Driving Force Analysis of Grassland Desertification Around the Qinghai Lake Area

Abstract

According to the results of the remote sensing satellite data of HJ, TM and MSS in the recently 40 years. The area of grassland desertification was increasing trend around Qinghai lake area from 1975 to 2000, whose rate was 12 km2/a, the area change of grassland desertification was small during 2000 to 2008, which was stable. The area greatly reduced in 2008–2012, reaching to 56.90 km2. This shows that the reduced area of grassland desertification is more obvious in the Qinghai Lake area in the past 10 years. Meanwhile the ecological environment tends to be improved. The main driving force of desertification area decreases is: The water level increased of the Qinghai lake is significant in nearly 10 years; The climate of Qinghai Lake basin shows warm and wet trend. It is particularly prominent after entering the 21st century; the runoff into of the increased lake is also obviously; Human activity is slowing around Lake area.